Russia and Ukraine hold peace talks in Abu Dhabi under US mediation

On November 10-11, 2026, Russia and Ukraine conducted their first high-level, trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi since February, mediated by the United States. Represented by teams including Vladimir Medinsky for Russia and Rustem Umerov for Ukraine, the parties discussed security guarantees, humanitarian issues, and a potential prisoner exchange. While U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the talks as productive, significant disagreements remain, particularly regarding territorial issues. Despite reported progress, Russian officials have ruled out direct negotiations with European allies, questioning their role in the process.

Following the two-day session, U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steven Witkoff announced plans to travel to Moscow for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, followed by a visit to Dublin to consult with President Zelensky. A major achievement of the talks was an agreement on a large-scale prisoner swap. Both sides have expressed an intent to continue the dialogue, with the U.S. aiming to expand the framework to include European representation in future rounds, though Russia remains skeptical of European involvement in the security architecture negotiations.